Expert discusses health effects of gluten

Andy FillmoreCorrespondent

Published: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at 10:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at 10:31 p.m.

A leading authority in gluten-related health problems told an overflow lecture series audience Tuesday night that much of the $10 billion plus spent on gluten-free diets last year may have been fad dieting, but we have only seen the tip of the iceberg of real gluten concerns.

Dr. Alessio Fasano, 57, an expert on the detrimental health effects of dietary gluten, told about 240 attendees at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition evening lecture series that when he moved to the U.S. from his native Naples, Italy, in 1993 he set out to find out why there were no youth celiac patients in America, a malady associated with gluten reaction.

IHMC Associate Director John Rogacki introduced the speaker to a receptive group, which Ann Spang, with IHMC community relations, termed "the largest audience to date" for the lecture series.

"In Third World countries the children may have had the symptoms of malnutrition," said Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston. "In the U.S. the occurrence of celiac had been mostly overlooked. My associates wouldn't accept it and I couldn't get blood to test. We then launched a study with 13,000 patients from 1998 to 2003."

The research to date has looked at gluten reaction and celiac disease, which Fasano called "systemic, affecting all the organs in a person's body," as well as wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity.

The mixture of factors leading to the three medical conditions, Fasano said, involves a person's genetic makeup, how one's intestines process food and environmental factors like overall diet and bacteria with gluten possibly setting off an inappropriate autoimmune response.

According to literature distributed at the talk, "Center for Celiac Research Center estimates put gluten sensitivity at 6 percent of the U.S. population."

"Fasano's perseverance in the face of skepticism about celiac disease in the U.S. eventually led to his publication of the ground-breaking study in 2003 that established the rate of autoimmune disorder at one in 133 Americans," the literature states.

Fasano said celiac disease is "a unique model of autoimmunity" and can affect "any age, any sex and any race."

Fasano said about 35 to 40 percent of individuals in the U.S. have the gene but may never get celiac disease.

Fasano said humans developed wheat grains more than 10,000 years ago.

"The wheat was set about 400 years ago, and the crop now hasn't changed in about 50 years," he said.

Fasano characterized gluten as an "elastic (substance) with trapped air which can't be digested."

"A person may have what is called 'leaky gut,' which we find now may be caused by the action of zonulin (a coating in the intestine), which regulates the intake of good or bad bacteria like a door," Fasano said.

Celiac disease causes a triggering of the autoimmune system and can ultimately lead to complications such as inflamed intestines and thyroid problems. Research may eventually find ties between the autoimmune complication and diseases such as autism and schizophrenia, Fasano said.

The lecture is part of an on-going series presented by IHMC, a technical research center with facilities in Ocala and Pensacola. The talks are presented in partnership with the College of Central Florida.

Fasano, a pediatric gastroenterologist, visiting pediatrics professor at Harvard and founder of the Center for Celiac Research, said studies have reached a number of "milestones" over the past few years providing information about the ingesting of glutens mixed with other factors.

Ocala gastroenterologist Dr. Richard Truesdale praised the talk by Fasano as "right on the money" about gluten and autoimmune system related concerns.

Dr. Jose Gaudier, an Ocala neurologist, said studies have considered the relationship of the gluten and autoimmune disorders and multiple sclerosis.

Medical doctor and child psychologist Sushil Puskur said the talk "raised his awareness because it was (research) since he left school."

Fasano said persons with concerns about gluten in their diet should consult their doctor for proper diagnosis and, if indicated, proper treatment which may involve a totally gluten-free diet.

<p>A leading authority in gluten-related health problems told an overflow lecture series audience Tuesday night that much of the $10 billion plus spent on gluten-free diets last year may have been fad dieting, but we have only seen the tip of the iceberg of real gluten concerns.</p><p>Dr. Alessio Fasano, 57, an expert on the detrimental health effects of dietary gluten, told about 240 attendees at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition evening lecture series that when he moved to the U.S. from his native Naples, Italy, in 1993 he set out to find out why there were no youth celiac patients in America, a malady associated with gluten reaction.</p><p>IHMC Associate Director John Rogacki introduced the speaker to a receptive group, which Ann Spang, with IHMC community relations, termed "the largest audience to date" for the lecture series.</p><p>"In Third World countries the children may have had the symptoms of malnutrition," said Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston. "In the U.S. the occurrence of celiac had been mostly overlooked. My associates wouldn't accept it and I couldn't get blood to test. We then launched a study with 13,000 patients from 1998 to 2003." </p><p>The research to date has looked at gluten reaction and celiac disease, which Fasano called "systemic, affecting all the organs in a person's body," as well as wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity.</p><p>The mixture of factors leading to the three medical conditions, Fasano said, involves a person's genetic makeup, how one's intestines process food and environmental factors like overall diet and bacteria with gluten possibly setting off an inappropriate autoimmune response. </p><p>According to literature distributed at the talk, "Center for Celiac Research Center estimates put gluten sensitivity at 6 percent of the U.S. population."</p><p>"Fasano's perseverance in the face of skepticism about celiac disease in the U.S. eventually led to his publication of the ground-breaking study in 2003 that established the rate of autoimmune disorder at one in 133 Americans," the literature states. </p><p>Fasano said celiac disease is "a unique model of autoimmunity" and can affect "any age, any sex and any race."</p><p>Fasano said about 35 to 40 percent of individuals in the U.S. have the gene but may never get celiac disease. </p><p>Fasano said humans developed wheat grains more than 10,000 years ago. </p><p>"The wheat was set about 400 years ago, and the crop now hasn't changed in about 50 years," he said.</p><p>Fasano characterized gluten as an "elastic (substance) with trapped air which can't be digested." </p><p>"A person may have what is called 'leaky gut,' which we find now may be caused by the action of zonulin (a coating in the intestine), which regulates the intake of good or bad bacteria like a door," Fasano said.</p><p>Celiac disease causes a triggering of the autoimmune system and can ultimately lead to complications such as inflamed intestines and thyroid problems. Research may eventually find ties between the autoimmune complication and diseases such as autism and schizophrenia, Fasano said.</p><p>The lecture is part of an on-going series presented by IHMC, a technical research center with facilities in Ocala and Pensacola. The talks are presented in partnership with the College of Central Florida. </p><p>Fasano, a pediatric gastroenterologist, visiting pediatrics professor at Harvard and founder of the Center for Celiac Research, said studies have reached a number of "milestones" over the past few years providing information about the ingesting of glutens mixed with other factors.</p><p>Ocala gastroenterologist Dr. Richard Truesdale praised the talk by Fasano as "right on the money" about gluten and autoimmune system related concerns.</p><p>Dr. Jose Gaudier, an Ocala neurologist, said studies have considered the relationship of the gluten and autoimmune disorders and multiple sclerosis.</p><p>Medical doctor and child psychologist Sushil Puskur said the talk "raised his awareness because it was (research) since he left school." </p><p>Fasano said persons with concerns about gluten in their diet should consult their doctor for proper diagnosis and, if indicated, proper treatment which may involve a totally gluten-free diet.</p>